Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
I try not to smile, but I can’t help it. I don’t need his approval, but it sure as hell makes me feel good. “You don’t have to say that.”
“I mean it though.” He walks over and casually puts a hand on my ass. “Where’d you get the idea for it?”
“Seriously? Come on, you know.”
He tilts his head side to side. “It’s a mask. A snake mask.” He glances at me. “You saw her, didn’t you?”
I shrug a little, feeling guilty, but not really. I’ve had the image of a snake mask in my head ever since the attack on the gallery opening six months ago, and I’m finally getting it out of my head.
“This is the first non-body part I’ve made. I guess it’s a way to forget about what happened.”
“That was Valentina. You know that, right?”
“You told me before, but still.” I lean into him. “You haven’t heard from her, have you?”
His expression clouds over. Valentina is a very sore topic for him. She definitely survived the attack—we would’ve heard if the daughter of Luciano Santoro ended up dead—but he hasn’t been in contact with her, at least not as far as I know.
“I tried asking Ronan about her, but he just called me a traitorous cocksucker and hung up. I figure I won’t get much better from any of the others.”
“I’m sorry.” I take his hand in mine and squeeze it. “You did what you had to do. You did it for me.”
“I know. I’m glad I did.” He leans down and kisses my dusty cheek. “I just wish I knew she was okay, that’s all.”
“Valentina’s a strong person. She’s a survivor. I have a feeling she’s totally fine.”
He grunts in response and hugs me close. We stay like that for a little while, admiring the half-finished sculpture, before we head upstairs together. I take a shower while he gets dinner started, and we eat together on the back porch of our house.
We talk about our plans. I’m moving forward with more gallery openings. He’s expanding his internet security business into slightly more legitimate customers. We’re growing into the house we bought together ten blocks from the oasis, close enough that I can go visit my family, but far enough that we don’t feel like we’re right on top of them. He’s still struggling with my brothers, and I’m still trying to find out who I am after all these years of hiding out in my basement.
And I still mostly stay down here, keeping busy, only coming up for air when Jackal makes me play a new game.
That’s the beauty of being with two men. Jackal keeps things dangerous, while Marco makes sure that I’m safe.
After dinner, Marco heads upstairs to work some more. I stay out back while the sun sets and call Elena. She answers, and this time, she doesn’t sound surprised to hear from me. The first couple times I reached out like this, she acted as if the world were ending, but now it’s becoming normal. Laura’s a person again. Laura’s back in the world.
A little bit, at least.
“I was just talking about you,” Elena says, sounding chipper. “Mom wants to know if you’re coming to lunch this weekend.”
“I’ll be there. Against my will.”
She laughs, all breezy and light. “Look at you. Poking your head out of your cave.”
“The world’s changing.”
“Tell me about it.” She sighs and I hear a voice in the background. Probably Brody. “We’re all married now, you know? Never thought I’d see the day.”
“You know, when the Santoro stuff was happening, I thought that might be the end of our family. And I didn’t really care.”
Elena pauses. “That’s a weird thing to say.”
“It’s true. But listen. I was numb back then, but now it’s like—” I fill up my lungs. “I’m happy you’re all in my life.”
“Same to you, weirdo.” Then Elena begins to talk about helping out at Club Cage with Stefania and the show they went to a few days back, and it bores me to tears, but I keep my mouth shut and listen until she’s done. When we get off the phone, instead of rushing back down to work, I stay where I am on the back porch and look at the ring on my finger glitter in the sunlight.
I lose track of time.
I’m happy and comfortable, and I don’t even notice it when the back door slides open, until I hear his voice.
“Hello, little demon.”